Do you remember what summer felt like when you were a kid? You woke up, grabbed your bike, and disappeared outside until the streetlights came on. You built forts out of blankets. You caught lightning bugs. You made mud pies. You drew with sidewalk chalk until there wasn't a square inch of driveway left.
The days felt slower.
Your imagination did most of the work. Today's kids are growing up in a very different world.
Tablets, phones, gaming systems, streaming services, and social media are available almost every hour of the day. While technology certainly has its place, summer offers a wonderful opportunity to slow down, reconnect, and let children rediscover the creativity that happens when they aren't constantly looking at a screen.
At Finan Rose, we see it every week. When children are given time to create something with their hands instead of consuming something on a screen, their confidence grows, conversations begin, and imaginations come alive.
If you're hoping to create a little more of that "90's summer" magic this year, here are five reasons why reducing screen time can benefit your child and five simple alternatives that cost little to nothing.
Why Limiting Screen Time Matters
1. Creativity Grows When Kids Have Time to Imagine
When every quiet moment is filled by a screen, children have fewer opportunities to invent, explore, and solve problems on their own. Creative play encourages imagination because there isn't a predetermined outcome. A cardboard box can become a spaceship. A blanket becomes a fort. A handful of markers becomes an afternoon of storytelling.
Research from the American Academy of Pediatrics encourages families to create healthy media habits that leave room for creative, unstructured play.
Learn more:
https://www.healthychildren.
2. Less Screen Time Encourages More Physical Activity
Whether it's riding bikes, playing tag, walking the dog, or creating chalk obstacle courses, children naturally move more when screens are put away.
Regular movement supports healthy growth, coordination, and overall well-being.
Learn more:
https://www.cdc.gov/
3. Face-to-Face Conversation Builds Social Skills
Children learn communication through practice. Working on a craft together, building something with a sibling, or playing with neighborhood friends creates opportunities to:
- share ideas
- solve disagreements
- practice patience
- build empathy
These experiences can't always be replicated through digital interactions.
Learn more:
https://developingchild.
4. Unstructured Play Builds Confidence
One of the greatest gifts we can give children is the opportunity to figure things out on their own. When kids decide what to build, draw, invent, or create, they learn that mistakes are part of learning, not something to avoid. Every finished project reminds them:
"I made that."
That confidence often carries into school, friendships, and future challenges.
5. Better Balance Often Leads to Better Sleep
Many experts recommend reducing screen use before bedtime because bright screens can interfere with healthy sleep routines. I know the "doom scroll" has gotten me a few times, and has also interupted my own sleep.
Replacing evening screen time with reading, drawing, journaling, or quiet creative activities can help children wind down naturally.
Learn more:
https://www.sleepfoundation.
Five Easy Screen-Free Activities You Can Do Today
The best part?
Most of these require supplies you probably already have.
1. Create an Artist Challenge
Gather:
- printer paper
- crayons
- markers
- colored pencils
Write ten drawing prompts on small slips of paper.
Ideas include:
- Design your dream treehouse.
- Invent a new animal.
- Draw your favorite vacation.
- Create a superhero.
- Design your own amusement park.
Let each family member draw one prompt and compare creations.
2. Build the Ultimate Blanket Fort
Grab:
- blankets
- pillows
- couch cushions
- clothespins or clips
- flashlights
Once the fort is finished, read books together, tell stories, or enjoy a picnic lunch inside. Sometimes the simplest activities become the most memorable.
3. Start a Summer Sketchbook
Any notebook works. Challenge kids to draw one page every day featuring something they noticed:
- a flower
- a pet
- today's weather
- something funny
- a favorite snack
- a family memory
By the end of summer they'll have their own illustrated journal.
4. Kitchen Creativity Challenge
Choose ingredients already in your pantry and let kids help invent something new.
Ideas include:
- decorating cookies
- creating fruit kabobs
- making homemade trail mix
- designing funny sandwiches
They'll practice creativity while learning valuable life skills.
5. Build Something from the Recycling Bin
Before recycling, save:
- cereal boxes
- paper towel tubes
- egg cartons
- bottle caps
- cardboard boxes
Challenge your child to create something entirely from recycled materials.
Maybe it's:
- a robot
- a castle
- a race car
- a puppet theater
- a marble maze
There is no wrong answer.
Creativity Doesn't Require Expensive Supplies
One of the biggest misconceptions about art is that you need expensive materials. You don't. Some of the most meaningful creative moments begin with:
- paper
- crayons
- cardboard
- tape
- markers
- glue
- imagination
When children are free to create without worrying about being perfect, they learn that creativity belongs to everyone.
Keep the Creativity Going
If your child loves hands-on experiences, Finan Rose offers creative opportunities throughout the year, including:
- Wearable Art Birthday Parties
- Crafter Dinner Club
- Crafter School Clubs
- DIY Creative Kits
- Seasonal Workshops
Each experience is designed to help children create with confidence while spending meaningful time with others.
Explore our creative experiences and DIY kits here:
A Challenge for Your Family
Try one screen-free afternoon this week. Put the tablets away. Turn off the television. Leave the phones inside. Then pull out some paper, markers, cardboard, or blankets and simply create. You might be surprised by what your child builds and by the conversations that happen along the way. Those are the moments they'll remember long after summer is over.
Having a hard time getting started? Register for our emails and get 2 summer coloring pages free!
We'd Love to Hear From You!
What was your favorite screen-free activity growing up?
Share your favorite childhood summer memory in the comments. We'd love to hear how your family is bringing back a little "90's summer" magic.